Record Details
| NHER Number: | 26777 |
|---|
| Type of record: | Monument |
|---|
| Name: | Post medieval earthwork bank reused in World War Two |
|---|
Summary
A slightly irregular, linear earthwork bank is visible on aerial photographs of this area. Its location suggests that it was some form of sea defence, but it was also utilised for military purpose in World War Two with a pillbox built into the bank (NHER 26775) and a tank trap running across it (NHER 26787) . It is originally a post medieval feature, as a bank surrounding an area of land marked 'drained', which roughly corresponds with the bank visible on aerial photographs, is depicted on Faden's 1797 map of the area.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TF 7710 4469 |
|---|
| Map Sheet: | TF74SE |
|---|
| Parish: | BRANCASTER, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
|---|
Full description
January 2001. NMP.
A slightly irregular, linear feature is visible as an earthwork between TF 7693 4511 and TF 7706 4427 on 1945 aerial photographs (S1). Its location suggests that it was some form of sea defence, but it was also utilised for military purpose in World War Two with a pillbox built into the bank (NHER 26775) and a tank trap running across it (NHER 26787) . The feature can also be seen on 1972 aerial photographs (S2) and is depicted on the 1905 Ordnance Survey map (S3). It is originally a post medieval feature, as a bank surrounding an area of land marked 'drained', which roughly corresponds with the bank visible on aerial photographs, is depicted on (S4).
A. Hunt (NMP), 31 January 2001.
May-November 2004. Norfolk Rapid Coastal Zone Archaeological Survey.
Inter-tidal survey (Environmental Zone 8), Context 810:
A modern sea defence bank aligned north to south was located to the west of Brancaster Beach Road. Between TF 77043 44232 and TF 77045 45093, it measured 15m in width at the base becoming 5m wide at the top. It is probably on site of an earlier sea bank.
See assessment report (S5) for further details.
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.421).
J. Allen (NLA), 15 April 2005. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 21 July 2019.
Monument Types
- BANK (EARTHWORK) (Post Medieval to 21st Century - 1540 AD to 2100 AD)
- SEA DEFENCES? (Post Medieval to 21st Century - 1540 AD to 2100 AD)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status - none
Sources and further reading
| <S1> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1945. RAF 106G/UK 476 Frms 4105-4107 6-JUN-1945 (NMR). |
| <S2> | Vertical Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1972. OS/72033 099-100 22-MAR-1972 (NMR). |
| <S3> | Map: Ordnance Survey. 1905. OS 2nd Edition 25" 1905 Sheet 1.16. |
| <S4> | Publication: Faden, W. and Barringer, J. C. 1989. Faden's Map of Norfolk in 1797. |
| <S5> | Unpublished Contractor Report: Robertson, D., Crawley, P., Barker, A., and Whitmore, S. 2005. Norfolk Rapid Coastal Zone Archaeological Survey. Assessment Report and Updated Project Design. Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 1045. |
Related records - none
Find out more...